The Portland Timbers accomplished their goal of winning at home against Chivas by producing one of their best overall performances of the season.

The offense was at its best possess and attack mode and the defense smothered the Goats throughout the game for a shutout in the 2-0 win Saturday night. That type of performance will be needed more often if the Timbers want to secure a second consecutive playoff berth as the race for the top-five spots and the postseason winds down.

"It's exactly what we wanted to do," said winger Rodney Wallace, who scored his first goal of the season against Chivas. "Get the three points. Get the clean sheet and win by two goals or more. I think we did everything we were supposed to do."

Now, the Timbers will try to carry that type of performance across the country when they travel to play at New England Saturday afternoon. Following the game against the Revolution, the Timbers will then fly directly to Georgetown, Guyana to face Alpha United in a CONCACAF Champions League game Aug. 19.

The Timbers, who had performed very well in away games earlier in the season, have struggled a little bit in recent MLS games. They have lost two of their past three away games since a five-game unbeaten streak ended with a 2-2 draw at Los Angeles July 4.

Those two away losses occurred in games at Seattle and Los Angeles, two of the best teams in MLS. No knowledgeable observer of MLS would say the Revolution are among the best teams in the league at this point in the season.

The Revolution have lost nine of their last 10 games, including an eight-game losing streak, tying a franchise record. They have fell from near the top of the Eastern Conference 2 1/2 months ago to struggling to earn a playoff spot.

The Revolution did string together five consecutive wins during a span of winning six of seven games before the free fall, and the Timbers must manage playing an away game against a team desperate for a win, particularly at home.